Survival effects of antibiotic exposure during the larval and adult stages in the West Nile virus vector Culex pipiens

The ability of mosquitoes to transmit a pathogen is affected, among other factors, by their survival rate, which is partly modulated by their microbiota. Mosquito microbiota is acquired during the larval phase and modified during their development and adult feeding behavior, being highly dependent on environmental factors. Pharmaceutical residues including antibiotics are widespread pollutants potentially being present in mosquito breeding waters likely affecting their microbiota. Here, we used Culex pipiens mosquitoes to assess the impact of antibiotic exposure during the larval and adult stages on the survival rate of adult mosquitoes. Wild-collected larvae were randomly assigned to two treatments: larvae maintained in water supplemented with antibiotics and control larvae. Emerged adults were subsequently assigned to each of two treatments, fed with sugar solution with antibiotics and fed only with sugar solution (controls). Larval exposure to antibiotics significantly increased the survival rate of adult females that received a control diet. In addition, the effect of adult exposure to antibiotics on the survival rate of both male and female mosquitoes depended on the number of days that larvae fed ad libitum in the laboratory before emergence. In particular, shorter larval ad libitum feeding periods reduced the survival rate of antibiotic-treated adult mosquitoes compared with those that emerged after a longer larval feeding period. These differences were not found in control adult mosquitoes. Our results extend the current understanding of the impact of antibiotic exposure of mosquitoes on a key component of vectorial capacity, that is the vector survival rate.MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 [grant number PID2020-118205GB-I00]Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [grant numbers PRE2021-098544 and FJC2021-048057-I]Spanish Ministry of Universities [Margarita Salas and María Zambrano programs]Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBU

Molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis and identification of the causative Leishmania species in Morocco by using three PCR-based assays

Background: The diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) might be difficult, in particular in endemic areas where different species of Leishmania can cause lesions of very similar appearance and where other skin diseases with similar clinical symptoms occur. Even today, the parasitological diagnosis of CL remains the gold standard and it is based on the direct identification of amastigotes in microscopy smears and/or culture of promastigotes from infected tissues. Although these techniques are highly specific, they are not sensitive enough. The objective of this study is to contribute to improving the diagnosis of CL and the identification of Leishmania species in Morocco by comparing three PCR-based assays applied directly on dermal samples. Methods: A total of 58 patients presenting with cutaneous lesions suggestive of CL were sampled for parasitological diagnosis by direct examination (DE), culture in NNN medium, two kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) PCRs (Lmj4/Uni21 and 13A/13B primers) and one rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) PCR (LITSR/L5.8S primers). The techniques were statistically analyzed and compared. Results: According to our consensus positive, 44 out of 58 samples were true positives. The 13A/13B-PCR and ITS1-PCR showed the highest sensitivities (100%). Parasite microscopy and culture detected 43% and 29% of the true positives, respectively, while culture and microscopy together improved sensitivity to 52%. PCRs 13A/13B and ITS1 were associated to four and one false positives, respectively, while the other assays were 100% specific. Furthermore, the ITS1-PCR-RFLP assay clearly identified the Leishmania species for all the true positives (44/44), whereas Lmj4/Uni21-PCR identified 35/44 samples. The comparison between the Leishmania molecular characterizations and the expected species according to the national data from the Ministry of Health indicate 7 discrepant results. Conclusions: The PCR-based assays tested on our samples increased the speed and sensitivity of the diagnosis of CL compared to the conventional techniques. Furthermore, we showed that we can not base the species identification on the national data from the Ministry of Health. Finally, we suggest the use of PCR-ITS1-RFLP for diagnosis and simultaneous identification of the species in the Moroccan epidemiological context, but also in similar areas of the Mediterranean Basin.This study was supported by the University of Granada, Spain (CICODE program), the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca (Morocco), and the PHC Volubilis program

Aedes albopictus in a recently invaded area in Spain: effects of trap type, locality, and season on mosquito captures

Mosquitoes are primary vectors of pathogens impacting humans, wildlife, and livestock. Among them, the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, stands out as an invasive species with a global distribution, having established populations on every continent except Antarctica. Recent findings incriminate Ae. albopictus in the local transmission of several pathogens causing human diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses and worm parasites as Dirofilaria. In Spain, the establishment of Ae. albopictus occurred in 2004 and it rapidly expanded, currently reaching southern provinces and creating novel epidemiological scenarios in recently invaded areas. In this study, we conducted captures of Ae. albopictus from May to November 2022 in two provinces, Granada and Malaga, situated near the current edge of the species' expanding range in Spain. The objective was to identify the primary factors influencing their captures in these regions. Mosquitoes were captured using BG-Sentinel traps baited with CO2 and BG-Lure, and miniature CDC-UV traps in five different localities. Our findings underscore the influence of both extrinsic factors, such as locality, and intrinsic factors, including mosquito sex, on the abundance of captured Ae. albopictus. A higher abundance of Ae. albopictus was observed in the Malaga province compared to localities in the Granada province. Furthermore, similar numbers of Ae. albopictus mosquitoes were captured in more urbanized areas of Granada, while the lowest counts were recorded in the less urbanized area. These results were compared to captures of another common species in the area, specifically Culex pipiens. Overall, these results represent the first monitoring of invasive Ae. albopictus in the area and are discussed in the light of the potential importance of the species as a nuisance for humans and vectors of pathogens of public health relevance.This study was financed by the PID2020-118205GB-I00 grant to JMP funded by MCIN/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033. Additional support derived from the CNS2022-135993 grant of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MCIN/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033) with funding from European Union NextGenerationEU. Mario Garrido was supported by the María Zambrano program and the P9 program for the Incorporation of Young Doctors funded by Spanish Ministry of Universities, the European Union-NextGenerationEU, and the University of Granada. Jesús Veiga received financial support from the Margarita Salas and Juan de la Cierva (FJC2021-048057-I) programs funded by Spanish Ministry of Universities, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the European Union-NextGenerationEU. Marta Garrigós was supported by a FPI grant (PRE2021-098544). Mario Garrido is currently granted by the PID2022-137746NA-I00 funded by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. We greatly appreciate the support given by the “Grupo de Investigación Comportamiento y Ecología Animal” of the University of Granada for the field sampling

Lysyl oxidase-like 3 is required for melanoma cell survival by maintaining genomic stability

Lysyl oxidase-like 3 (LOXL3) is a member of the lysyl oxidase family comprising multifunctional enzymes with depicted roles in extracellular matrix maturation, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. In silico expression analyses followed by experimental validation in a comprehensive cohort of human cell lines revealed a significant upregulation of LOXL3 in human melanoma. We show that LOXL3 silencing impairs cell proliferation and triggers apoptosis in various melanoma cell lines. Further supporting a pro-oncogenic role in melanoma, LOXL3 favors tumor growth in vivo and cooperates with oncogenic BRAF in melanocyte transformation. Upon LOXL3 depletion, melanoma cells display a faulty DNA damage response (DDR), characterized by ATM checkpoint activation and inefficient ATR activation leading to the accumulation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and aberrant mitosis. Consistent with these findings, LOXL3 binds to proteins involved in the maintenance of genome integrity, in particular BRCA2 and MSH2, whose levels dramatically decrease upon LOXL3 depletion. Moreover, LOXL3 is required for efficient DSB repair in melanoma cells. Our results reveal an unexpected role for LOXL3 in the control of genome stability and melanoma progression, exposing its potential as a novel therapeutic target in malignant melanoma, a very aggressive condition yet in need for more effective treatment options

Random positions of dendritic spines in human cerebral cortex

Dendritic spines establish most excitatory synapses in the brain and are located in Purkinje cell’s dendrites along helical paths, perhaps maximizing the probability to contact different axons. To test whether spine helixes also occur in neocortex, we reconstructed >500 dendritic segments from adult human cortex obtained from autopsies. With Fourier analysis and spatial statistics, we analyzed spine position along apical and basal dendrites of layer 3 pyramidal neurons from frontal, temporal, and cingulate cortex. Although we occasionally detected helical positioning, for the great majority of dendrites we could not reject the null hypothesis of spatial randomness in spine locations, either in apical or basal dendrites, in neurons of different cortical areas or among spines of different volumes and lengths. We conclude that in adult human neocortex spine positions are mostly random. We discuss the relevance of these results for spine formation and plasticity and their functional impact for cortical circuits

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Spiny Dendrites Using Straightening and Unrolling Transforms

Current understanding of the synaptic organization of the brain depends to a large extent on knowledge about the synaptic inputs to the neurons. Indeed, the dendritic surfaces of pyramidal cells (the most common neuron in the cerebral cortex) are covered by thin protrusions named dendritic spines. These represent the targets of most excitatory synapses in the cerebral cortex and therefore, dendritic spines prove critical in learning, memory and cognition. This paper presents a new method that facilitates the analysis of the 3D structure of spine insertions in dendrites, providing insight on spine distribution patterns. This method is based both on the implementation of straightening and unrolling transformations to move the analysis process to a planar, unfolded arrangement, and on the design of DISPINE, an interactive environment that supports the visual analysis of 3D patterns

Canine Leishmaniasis in Southeastern Spain

To examine prevalence changes and risk factors for canine leishmaniasis, we conducted a cross-sectional seroprevalence study and a survey during April–June 2006. Seroprevalence had increased at the meso-Mediterranean bioclimatic level over 22 years. Risk was highest for dogs that were older, large, lived outside, and lived at the meso-Mediterranean level

Información de medicamentos a la población desde el Servicio de Farmacia a través de Internet

Objectives: To describe and discuss the work of a Pharmacy Department for the health-care portal www.viatusalud.com. Methods: Using a web portal, a Pharmacy Department develops and updates a vademecum on drugs, and answers enquiries by end-users. Results: On December 31, 2002 more than 750 records on drugs were available, and 3030 enquiries had been answered. Conclusions: With this drug information and online enquiry service, our Pharmacy Department helps meet the demand of health-care information posed by the community and by patients previously seen at Clínica Universitaria. In addition, it allows areas of improvement to be detected in the information to be offered to patients fron a Pharmacy Department, and represents a tertiary source of information for health-care professionals